This paper presents a formalization of the bidding and awarding decision process that was left undefined in the original contract net task allocation protocol. This formalization is based on marginal cost calculations based on local agent criteria. In this way, agents having very different local criteria (based on their selfinterest) can interact to distribute tasks so that the network as a who...

Abstract This paper presents a formalization of the bidding and awarding decision process that was left undefined in the original contract net task allocation protocol. This formalization is based on marginal cost calculations based on local agent criteria. In this way, agents having very different local criteria (based on their selfinterest) can interact to distribute tasks so that the network...

Developing agent applications is a complex and difficult task due to a variety of reasons. One key aspect making multi-agent systems more complicated than traditional applications is that interaction behavior is based on elaborate communication forms such as negotiations instead of simple method calls. Aimed at facilitating the specification and usage of agent communication, agent research resu...

We provide a new model of platform competition on the Internet to analyze the effect of Net Neutrality regulation on market outcomes. Consumers subscribe to two vertically related platforms, an Internet service provider (ISP) and a content network platform (CNP), to reach content providers (CPs). CPs interact with consumers via CNPs. Local ISPs provide an essential input: the Internet connectio...

In this paper we propose a new infrastructure for efficient job scheduling on the Grid using multiagent systems and a market-like Service Level Agreement (SLA) negotiation protocol based on the well known Contract Net Protocol. The agent-based Grid scheduling system involves user agents, local scheduler agents, and super scheduler agents. User agents submit jobs to Grid Compute resources. Local...

We describe the concept of distributed problem solving and define it as the cooperative solution of problems by a decentralized and loosely coupled collection of problem solvers. This approach to problem solving offers the promise of increased performance and provides a useful medium for exploring and developing new problem-solving techniques. We present a framework called the contract net that...

Multi-agent conversations are built upon two components: agent communication languages (ACLs) that specify the individual messages that can be exchanged and interaction protocols (IPs) that specify the sequences in which these message can be arranged. Although informative, the semantic definition proposed for the most standard ACL (FIPA 1997) is complicated and contentious, while published IPs ...

Symbolic path planning in autonomous robotic agents is the search, on a network of places and routes modeling the environment, for a sequence of routes which enables an agent to execute a set of interrelated tasks. When several agents are present in the environment, each having been assigned a set of tasks, the adoption of coordination mechanisms allows the task-execution costs to be decreased....

The process of cooperative problem solving can be divided into four stages. First, finding potential team members, then forming a team followed by constructing a plan for that team. Finally, the plan is executed by the team. Traditionally, protocols like the Contract Net protocol are used for performing the first two stages of the process. In an open environment however, there can be discussion...